Personality chapter3.docx

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School

Carleton University

Department

Psychology

Course

PSYC 2600

Professor

Elizabeth Nisbet

Semester

Winter

Description

CHAPTER 3 Three Fundamental Questions guide those who study personality traits How should we conceptualize traits Every field needs to define its key terms explicitly In bio for ex Species is a key concept so the concept of species is defined explicitly ie A group of organisms is capable of reproducing with each other In physics the basic concepts of mass weight force and gravity are defined explicitlyBecause traits are central concepts in personality psych They too must be precisely formulatedHow can we identify which traits are the most important traits among the thousands of ways in which individuals differ Individuals differ in many ways that are both characteristic and enduring Some individuals are extremely extraverted enjoying loud and crowded parties others are introverted preferring quiet evenings spent reading Some people talk a lot and seek to be the center of attention in most social encounters some prefer to be quiet and let others do the talkingA crucial goal of personality psychology Is to identify the most important ways in which individuals differ How can we formulate a comprehensive taxonomy of traits a system that includes within it all of the major traits of personalityOnce the important traits have been identified the next s